1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a partitioning method for a data storage medium, more particularly to a partitioning method for configuring a data storage medium with a number of virtual partitioned areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
A computer data storage medium, such as a hard disk drive, can be configured with a plurality of partitioned areas using a conventional partitioning scheme such that, when a single computer is shared by different users, each computer user can have a data storage space and an operating environment that are separate from those of the other computer users.
However, when the conventional partitioning scheme is used, each partitioned area of the data storage medium is allocated with a predetermined amount of storage space. Thus, when it is desired to change the sizes of the partitioned areas, the data stored therein should be moved before the sizes can be adjusted, thereby resulting in inconvenience and possible loss of data. Moreover, the conventional partitioning scheme lacks flexibility since it permits configuring of the data storage medium to a maximum of only four partitioned areas.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a partitioning method for configuring a data storage medium with a number of virtual partitioned areas so as to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.
According to the present invention, there is provided a partitioning method for a data storage medium of an electronic device. The data storage medium has a storage space with a system region for storing an operating system. The partitioning method comprises the steps of:
a) configuring the storage space of the data storage medium with a number of virtual partitioned areas, each of which is adapted for storing files of a dedicated user, wherein each of the virtual partitioned areas only appears as a file name in the system region and does not occupy memory space when data is yet to be stored therein;
b) during each data storing operation for one of the virtual partitioned areas, storing data that is associated with the data storing operation in free portions of the storage space of the data storage medium, and adding a corresponding entry to an address record table for said one of the virtual partitioned areas to indicate location of the data that is associated with the data storing operation; and
c) when deleting data in a selected one of the virtual partitioned areas, deleting the entry corresponding to the data in the address record table for the selected one of the virtual partitioned areas.
Preferably, the location corresponding to the deleted entry is available for overwriting during a subsequent data storing operation for any of the virtual partitioned areas.
In the preferred embodiment, when deleting a selected one of the virtual partitioned areas, the address record table for the selected one of the virtual partitioned areas is deleted without deleting the data in the locations indicated by the entries in the address record table.
Moreover, when formatting a selected one of the virtual partitioned areas, the address record table for the selected one of the virtual partitioned areas is cleared without deleting the data in the locations indicated by the entries in the address record table.